Why does my dog want to hump other dogs?

[joystir59]

That's it really. He's a neutered JRT and humps all the dogs he meets.

Chances are he is nervous of other dogs.

Victoria Stillwell writes about it, many other dog trainers have covered it as well.

My older one humps the younger one. Both neutered males and he only does it to him and no one else and he's the boss being the older dog.

Thank you bubble that's an insightful article.

I'm sure you keep him from doing that, though, don't you? It's really obnoxious behaviour that's liable to start a fight.

I frequently meet a lovely dog who tries to hump every other dog he meets, whether male or female.
He's very nervy in general and doesn't read other dogs well, and doesn't seem to distinguish friendly from not friendly. He's also a water retrieving breed who has never been allowed to swim ( owners don't want the mess :( )

Villainous no, we are completely insensitive twats who just let him do whatever he likes regardless of the consequences

Our dog is generally quite anxious, although this is gradually improving. He's a rescue who has been rehomed twice before coming to us, and we've only had him 8 months. He is making great progress in getting along with other dogs, but does have this unfortunate habit of trying to hump most dogs until he is discouraged and told no.

Poor little guy :(
Given time and space to get used to other dogs he will get better. If you can distract him with treats or a toy when you see another dog coming - get his attention on to you before he tries to go in for the hump - it can help him see other dogs as a positive thing rather than something scary.
( apols if this is what you are already doing!)

As PP just pointed out, it's before he starts that you need to manage the situation, not allowing him to commit a social faux pas and then correcting it. I note you use the words 'always' and 'discouraging him' and that's exactly what I'm getting at. The dis-couraging. HTH.

We have a very socially anxious little terrier who will snap at other dogs if they get too close to him and will ask to be picked up by us if he feels scared/stressed by other dogs... usually bigger dogs or dogs who are playing loudly and roughly (in his perception). However, if a smaller dog then joins the group, who ignores him or poses him no threat, that is the dog you just know he is going to hump. So in him anyway, I see it as a mixture of the release of stress but also a sort of dominant behaviour that he will display only to smaller dogs who he knows he can hump without fear of injury. It is almost like he was feeling out of his comfort zone with the bigger boisterous dogs and now he has a chance to be in charge finally of a smaller/weaker dog so he takes it. I don't know... that is just my perception of what he is doing.

Milo will try to hump large dogs too! Anyway, he's got a few more serious issues such as nipping us on a too frequent basis! So the humping is on a back burner for now! Generally he is heading in the right direction and we will continue to be very patient with him.